Garment hanger



Oct. 5, 1965 B. J. WACH 3,209,966

GARMENT HANGER Filed March 4, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l I NVEN TOR.

Bohumz'l J. llJac/z Oct. 5, 1965 Bj J. WACH 3,209,966

GARMENT HANGER Filed March 4, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Bohumzl J. lZJach BY M,

United States Patent York Filed Mar. 4, 1963, Scr. No. 262,760 7 Claims. (Ci. 22393) My invention relates to garment hangers of the type having a pair of divergent arms for supporting a garment such as a coat, dress, etc., with a hook extending from the top mid-portion thereof for engagement with a rod or the like capable of supporting a plurality of such hangers.

A particular object of my invention is to provide a hanger of this general character which is especially designed for commercial use; more particularly, a hanger which can be produced in quantity at an extremely low cost and which is especially adaptable for supporting garments packed in quantity in shipping cartons or the like for mass transportation of such goods from the factory to a retail store or warehouse.

More especially, I have conceived of a hanger designed to be susceptible of production by molding methods, preferably utilizing a synthetic plastic resin which will be rigid and strong and at the same time very light in weight and of low bulk, with relatively thin walls, occupying a minimum of space.

A further object of my invention is to provide a hanger of the type referred to which is especially adaptable for supporting ladies garments of silk, artificial silk or like material which is slithery in charatcer, normally tending to slide off a standard type hanger and also particularly adapted for such ladies garments having relatively narrow shoulder straps such as slips, nightgowns or the like which are especially diflicul't to retain on a standard hanger, especially under the conditions of bulk transport.

More particularly, I have conceived of a hanger of the character referred to having integrally formed on each arm one or more hinged clamps capable by digital pressure of being Warped or sprung about their pivots from clamping to non-clamping position, such clamps being normally biased in clamping position by reason of the character of the material and structure of the integral hinge.

Another object is to provide a hanger with a clamp of the character referred to in conjunction with a locking member slideable on the arm of the hanger from nonlocking to locking position and vice versa, whereby the clamp may be secured against inadvertent displacement when in operative condition retaining a garment.

Still another object is to provide a hanger of the type referred to which will have a pair of spaced clamps integrally attached to each arm, with a slideable locking member of the type referred to disposed between said clamps and slideable alternatively into locking relation with one or the other of said clamps.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a resiliently hinged clamp moldable from a plastic resin or the like, which may be detachably secured to a hanger of the type referred to, in combination with a slideable,

member for securing said clamp in operative condition.

Various other objects and advantages will no doubt suggest themselves as the description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings forming a part of this specification and illustrating certain preferred embodiments of my invention,

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one form of garment hanger embodying my invention, with a pair of supported garments shown dotted;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

32%,956 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of an auxiliary clamp member shown in FIG. 1 in relation to a hanger;

FIG, 5 is a similar view of the auxiliary clamp member of FIG. 4 but with a locking member shown as molded integrally therewith rather than in operative position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of an arm of the hanger shown in FIG. 1, with the locking member in operative relation to one of the clamp members;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but showing the slide as molded integrally with the hanger;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detailed elevational view partly in section, on a still further enlarged scale, showing the locking member in operative relation to a clamp member as shown on the left of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of a hanger constituting another embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view, on an enlarged scale, showing an arm of the hanger of FIG. 9, with one of the clamping members in operative relation to a garment;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 (without the garment), showing the clamping members moved from normal to non-operative position, and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 12-12 of FIG. 10.

Referring first to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 and 68, inclusive, I show here a garment hanger 10 of generally standard shape, comprising a pair of divergent arms 12, 12 with a hook element 15 extending upwardly from the juncture point of the two arms, said hook 15 being of a configuration adapted to engage a rod or the like and to be readily disengageable therefrom.

Generally speaking, the hanger 10 is so designed as to be readily moldable from a synthetic plastic resin of suitable composition to provide maximum strength and rigidity along with a relatively thin cross-sectional dimension, as seen best in FIG. 2. Many plastic compositions having the desired physical attributes are well known to those skilled in the art, such as those of the polyurethanes, polyethylenes, etc., etc.

As stated above, in View of my objective of producing a garment hanger of minimum weight consistent with low bulk and high strength, I not only form the walls, such as the sections indicated at 18, of minimum thickness, but also skeletonize the hanger as much as possible, as indicated by the voids 2i] separated by the neck 22, the latter adding to the strength of the hanger at the midsection thereof.

It will be noted that a peripheral rib 25 extends transversely from the principal plane of the hanger, passing around the top and bottom edges of the arms 12 and also around at least one edge of the hook portion 15, while another rib 25a extends across the mid-section of the hanger joining the arms 12, all for strengthening purpose.

integrally molded with the hanger on each of the arms 12 is one or more clamping members 30. These clamps are preferably in the form of lever bars of a width approximately equal to that of rib members 25 and comprising arms 30a and 30b terminating in opposed free ends and integrally joined to top rib 25 by means of a hinge member 3410 intermediate said lever arms. Lever arm 30a, functioning as a garment-retaining arm, terminates in a rounded boss 32 which normally seats in a similarly curved cavity 35 formed in the adjacent portion of the rib 25 of arm 12, while lever arm 30b, functioning as an actuating arm, is provided on its lower face with a downwardly extending angular rib 37. Rib 37, defines an obtuse angle, the outer face 38 of which serves as a cam engageable with a slideable locking block 41 The rounded boss 32 and curved cavity 35 are illustrative of many interengaging surface conformations which may be provided on the ends of the garment-retaining arms 30a and the portions of the garment-supporting arms 12 adjacent thereto.

Block 4-9 has a pair of angular faces at the top thereof engageable selectively with either of said cams 38 on opposite sides thereof, as seen clearly in FIG. 6, said block, at the bottom thereof being bifurcated so as to define a channel 42 open at the bottom thereof, the legs 43 of the channel extending toward each other to embrace the top rib between clamps and thus be freely slideable between said levers, whereby block may selectively and lockingly engage one or the other of said clamps. The upper face of rib 25 opposite lever arm 3% is preferably roughened as at 44, by ribs, serrations or the like to provide a detent for engaging a rib 41 on the bottom of block 40 when in locking position.

As seen in FIG. 7, I find it expedient to mold blocks 40 integrally with the hanger 10, the blocks being joined to rib 25 between clamps 30 by a thin neck 45 which is sufficiently tenuous that, after the hangers have been delivered to the ultimate user, said blocks 48 may readily be torn manually from the hanger. Rotating the block 90, its legs 43 are sprung over the rib 25 between adjacent levers 30, whereby the locking member 46 will assume a position between said levers as seen on the right in FIG. 1. Such integral molding of block 48 with the hanger makes for a substantial cost reduction.

When it is desired to secure a garment G (FIG. 1) on the hanger, one or the other of levers 30 (depending on the garment size) of either arm will be rotated about its hinge 30c by digital pressure on lever arm 38b; arm 38a is thus rocked in a clockwise direction. It should be understood that the material of which the hanger, in cluding hinge 3416, is molded has substantial resilience, and the levers are so formed that lever arm 30a will normally be substantially in the position seen in FIG. 6, relative to the relation of boss 32 to cavity 35. With the lock. member 40 displaced laterally from arm 3%, and arm 38a digitally rocked away from its respective cavity 35 against the resilient tension of hinge 300, a strap S of garment G may be slipped over the end of hanger arm 12 to a position between boss 32 and hinge 30c, as seen in FIG. 1. The digital pressure on arm 30b is then released and lever 30 will thereupon, due to its normal resilient bias, rock counterclockwise back to its normal position as seen in FIGS. 1 and 6.

Inasmuch as hangers embodying my invention are normally intended for use in bulk shipment containers and in the course of transport may undergo relative rough handling, it is desirable that the clamps 30 be secured against accidental displacement after a garment has been positioned on the hanger. Hence, locking member 48 will be slid along rib 25 to a position substantially as seen in FIG. 6, with one of the angular top faces of block 40 engaging cam face 38 of rib 37 and thus wedging clamp 30 firmly in position retaining garment strap S. A similar operation will be performed on the other arm of the hanger as to the other strap of the garment.

It will beaparent that a pair of clamping members 36 on each arm 12 permits accommodation to garments of different sizes.

In order that hangers embodying my invention may support a pair of garments, such as, say, a pair of panties or some other article of negligee in addition to the garment supported by clamps 30, I provide in combination with each hanger 10 a pair of auxiliary detachable clamp members 50 as seen in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5. These auxiliary clamps, for the same reasons as indicated above with reference to hanger It are likewise preferably molded of a synthetic plastic resin of similar properties.

Clamp 50 comprises a base bar 52 and a lever bar 54 pivotally joined thereto by an integral hinge member 55. Lever 54, having opposed free ends, comprises an arm 54a and an arm 54b, a boss 56 at the free end of arm 5411 being seatable in a cavity 58 on base bar 52. Formed on the other end of base bar 52 is a channel member 68 the arms of which extend toward each other as clearly seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. Channel 60, being resilient, may be sprung over lower rib 25 of hanger 10 to assume a position depending therefrom, as seen in FIG. 1. It may be noted (FIG. 6) at this point that a pair of bosses B and B molded integrally on each arm of hanger It) serve as limiting stops for auxiliary clamps Stl, the latter being free to slide between said stops. Obviously, auxiliary clamps 58 may be readily attached to or detached from a hanger if not desired, by sliding them through openings 68 in rib 25.

Lever 54 is substantially similar in structure to levers 30 formed on hanger 10 and will operate similarly, digital pressure on lever arm 54a serving to rock lever 54 about its hinge 55 to permit insertion of fabric, such as a strap of garment G into the space between arm 54b and base bar 52. Here again, by reason of the resilience inherent in hinge member 55, lever 54 will normally be biased into locking position as seen in FIG. 5.

For strengthening and other purposes a peripheral rib 63 is provided around the periphery of bar 52 as well as lever 54, and a strengthening rib 68 between peripheral ribs 63.

Here again it is desirable that lever 54 be secured in locking position on a garment. Hence, I provide a locking block 48' which is substantially similar to block. 40 heretofore described. In this case, block 40', again for reasons of economy, is molded integrally with clamp 50, being connected thereto by a tenuous web 65 (FIG. 5). When ready for use, the user needs only to grasp block 46 and, with slight manual effort, it may be torn away from web 65, rotated 90 and then snapped over rib 63 to assume a position as seen in FIG. 4.

It will be seen that I have provided an extremely economical and generally satisfactory garment support of high utility for the packing, shipping and storage of garments. Being of light-weight material and of low bulk, my improved hangers effect a great saving in the cost of transportation. Furthermore, after arrival at the destination, it is found when the shipping carton is opened that the garments are intact on their hangers by reason of the positive retaining members. As distinguished from ordinary hangers used in bulk shipment, the garments are 1n no condition of disarray and require no pressing or other attention except to remove them from the shipping carton and to dispose them in storage or display cabinets in the store. This may be effected by simply removing the garments on their hangers and leaving them on these hangers when disposed for storage or for sale in the store. Such an arrangement constitutes a marked economy over former methods whereby the garments must be removed from special shipping supports and then placed on standard hangers for storage or display.

FIGS. 9-12, illustrate another embodiment of my invention which, while less sophisticated than the first embodiment, nevertheless is likewise susceptible of satisfactory use for the same purposes.

Hanger 7t), likewise, is preferably molded of synthetic plastic material and, in general, is of similar configuration to hanger 10, previously described, having opposed arms 70a and 78b.

In this case I provide clamp members 72 which are connected to an arm of hanger 70 by an integral hinge portion 74, the clamps 72 each comprising a manipulating arm 72a and a griping arm 72b. The gripping arm preferably has a serrated face 75 while the opposed face of hanger arm 79a is likewise serrated as at 75.

Here again the hinge portion 74 will have sufficient resilience by reason of the character of the material that lever 72 will normally be in locking position as seen in FIGS. 9 and 10 and may be digitally rocked about hinge member '74 in a clockwise direction to the position shown in FIG. 11 against the resilient tension in the hinge to separate jaw portion 72b from serrated face 75 and thereby to permit insertion of a garment strap S, whereupon digital pressure is released and the lever will spring back to its normal position and the garment will be clamped in position as seen in FIG. 10. Obviously, either clamp on each arm may be used according to the size of the garment.

I am aware that it has heretofore been suggest-ed to provide clamps of various kinds on garment hangers of this general type. However, so far as I am aware, such clamps of the prior art have been separate from the hangers and had to be specially attached, requiring substantial expense in production and in the labor of assembly. So far as I am informed, it has never heretofore been suggested to provide clamps integrally formed with the hanger proper and possessing suflicient resilient by reason of the nature of the material and structure thereof to provide a spring-biased locking action, as in my invention.

Obviously, in the last described embodiment, I may also use movable clamp-locking members and/ or auxiliary clamps as in the first embodiment.

Various other changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of my invention being limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A garment hanger of the character described, formed entirely of thin-walled, molded, stiff but resilient material, comprising (a) a pair of divergent garment-supporting arms,

(b) hook means adjacent the juncture of said arms for detachable engagement with a relatively fixed support, and

(c) means on each of said arms for detachably engaging a garment.

(d) said garment-engaging means comprising a clamping lever integrally joined to each of said arms, said lever having a garment-retaining arm and an actuating arm,

(e) an integral hinge member joining the lever intermediate its extremities to the garment-supporting arm,

(f) the clamping lever being normally resiliently biased in clamping relation to the garment-supporting arm, and

(g) a locking member slideable on each garment-supporting arm into and out of engagement with said actuating arm for locking the lever in clamping position.

2. A combination as in claim 1, each garment-supporting arm having a pair of said clamping levers with their actuating arms in spaced adjacent relation to each other, said locking member being disposed therebetween, so as to be slideable selectively into retaining relation with either of said actuating arms.

3. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said lastmentioned locking member is formed integrally with said garment hanger, a tenuous frangible web joining said locking member to said hanger, permitting said locking member to be manually separated therefrom, mating male and female elements on said locking member and on said hanger adjacent to said clamping lever, whereby, after separation, said locking member may be slideably engaged on said hanger and thereupon be movable into and out of locking engagement with said lever.

4 A combination as in claim 3, having a pair of said levers on each garment-supporting arm, said levers being spaced apart with their actuating arms juxtaposed to each other, said locking member being disposable between said actuating arms so as to be slideable selectively into locking relation with one or the other of said actuating arms.

5. A combination as in claim 1, wherein the end of each garment-retaining arm and the portion of the garmentsupporting arm adjacent thereto are provided with interengaging surface conformations.

6. A clamping member formed of moldable material which is of low specific gravity, strong and resilient in thin sections, comprising a base bar, an integral lever provided with opposed free ends, and an integral hinge element joining said base bar to a point intermediate said ends of said lever, said hinge element normally biasing one end of said lever in clamping relation to said base bar, and a locking member slideable on said base bar into and out of locking relation with the opposite end of said lever, and last-mentioned locking member adapted to be formed integrally with said clamping member, a tenuous frangible web joining said clamping and locking members together, permitting said members to be manually disjoined, said members having mating male and female elements whereby, after disjoinder, said locking member may be slideably engaged with said base bar.

7. A clamping member formed of moldable material which is of low specific gravity, strong and resilient in thin sections, comprising (a) a base bar,

(b) a lever shorter than said base bar and provided with opposed free ends, the base bar projecting beyond at least one of said free ends,

(c) a hinge element integrally joining said base bar to a point intermediate said ends of said lever,

(d) said hinge element normally biasing one end of said lever in clamping relation to said base bar, and

(e) a locking member freely slideable on said projecting portion of said base bar into the position under the opposite end of said lever to lock the latter in clamping relation to said base bar.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 763,793 6/04 Pickert 24260 1,563,660 12/25 Rubin 22393 2,543,234 2/51 Draimin 223-88 2,608,306 8/52 Mills 223-93 X 2,723,787 11/55 Barnsdorf 22393 2,924,363 2/60 Reller et al. 223-93 2,931,086 4/60 Rose 24-137 3,093,276 6/63 Volker et al 223-93 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, ROBERT V. SLOAN,

Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 209 ,966 October 5 1965 Bohumil J. Wach It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, lines 2 and 3, for "assignor to Sears Roebuck and Co., of Chicago, Illinois, a corporation of New York," read assignor, by mesne assignments, to Neo Products Co. of Chicago, Illinois, a corporation of Illinois, line 12, for "Sears Roebuck and Co. its successors" read Neo Products Co., its successors in the heading to the printed specification, lines 3 to 5, for "assignor to Sears Roebuck and C0. Chicago, Ill. a corporation of New York" read assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Neo Products Co. Chicago, Ill. a corporation of Illinois (SEAL) Signed and sealed this 17th day of May 1966 Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A GARMENT HANGER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, FORMED ENTIRELY OF THIN-WALLED, MOLDED, STIFF BUT RESILIENT MATERIAL, COMPRISING (A) A PAIR OF DIVERGENT GARMENT-SUPPORTING ARMS, (B) HOOK MEANS ADJACENT THE JUNCTION OF SAID ARMS FOR DETACHABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH A RELATIVELY FIXED SUPPORT, AND (C) MEANS ON EACH OF SAID ARMS FOR DETACHABLY ENGAGING A GARMENT. (D) SAID GARMENT-ENGAGING MEANS COMPRISING A CHAMPING LEVER INTERGRALLY JOINED TO EACH OF SAID ARMS, SAID LEVER HAVING A GARMENT-RETAINING ARM AND AN ACTUAT SAID ING ARM, (E) AN INTERGRAL HINGE MEMBER JOINING THE LEVER INTERMEDIATE ITS EXTREMITIES TO THE GARMENT-SUPPORTING ARM, (F) THE CLAMPING LEVER BEING NORMALLY RESILIENTLY BIASED IN CLAMPING RELATION TO THE GARMENT-SUPPORTING ARM, AND (G) A LOCKING MEMBER SLIDEABLE ON EACH GARMENT-SUPPORTING ARM INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ACTUATING ARM FOR LOCKING THE LEVER IN CLAMPING POSITION. 